VOA标准英语2015--现金只能带来救济——油污染尼日利亚社区

Cash Brings Relief, But Not Recovery, to Oil-Polluted Nigerian Community 现金只能带来救济——油污染尼日利亚社区

BODO, NIGERIA—

A pair of oil spills in 2008 and 2009 polluted the waters around the town of Bodo, in Nigeria’s southern Rivers State. A settlement between the Shell oil company and the affected¹ community that was negotiated in January put cash in the pockets of townspeople, but it did not undo² the environmental damage to the area around Bodo. 

Just about everyone in Bodo is building something. But on the banks of the creeks³ that surround the community, oil laps at blackened ground. Therein lies the reason for the building boom. 

Two oil spills years ago dumped thousands of barrels of crude into the creeks of this community, which depends on fishing for its main source of income. Bodo claimed the Shell oil company’s Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for the spill, and took the matter to court in Britain. Earlier this year, Bodo accepted a cash settlement that put money directly into the pockets of more than 15,000 people.

But Sylvester Kogbara, high chief of the community, said money cannot make up for a way of life that was destroyed.

“It is not enough, and it can never be enough. I have mentioned it here and in terms of [money], no, they can't pay enough. And what of the generations unborn?” said Kogbara.

Residents received about $3,000 each from the settlement. Fisherman Giadon Aagbara Timothy is using the money to build a brick house to replace the mud home his family lives in. 

But with the waters around Bodo saturated⁴ with oil and the fish either dead or too polluted to eat, he said his future looks bleak⁵.

“From the moment the oil spill occurred, we now live with no choice than being in that abject⁶ poverty. That, where we cannot go fishing, we cannot go anywhere to get anything to help ourselves. The oil spill really cost us a whole damage,” said Aagbara.

You can still buy fish in the market in Bodo, but it is imported from elsewhere, where the water is cleaner. Some fishermen still tough it out.  Marvelous Bonny bought a new fishing boat with the settlement money. He now travels far from Bodo to catch the croaker and salt-water fish popular in its markets.

Shell has also agreed to help clean up the oil that spilled around Bodo. Its residents say things will get back to normal only when its waterways are clean.   

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

3 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

4 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液

5 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

6 abject   

adj.极可怜的，卑屈的

参考例句：

• This policy has turned out to be an abject failure.这一政策最后以惨败而告终。
• He had been obliged to offer an abject apology to Mr.Alleyne for his impertinence.他不得不低声下气，为他的无礼举动向艾莱恩先生请罪。